Mary Joyce (Lake) Gentry
Marriages
Wayne
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3 D Obituary - January 8, 2015
Mary Joyce Gentry
December 24, 1931 - January 2, 2015
Mary Joyce Gentry passed away on January 2, 2015, in Denver, CO, at the age of 83.
Mary is survived by her three daughters, Jody Gentry, of Castle Rock; Paula (Bobby Laskie) of Farmington, NM, and Sherry (Jeff Nakano) of Grand Junction as well as grandchildren, Chelsi Chandler, Eric and Jeff Laskie, Chaz and Reece Clay, McKenna Faux, Michael, Steven and Cami Nakano, and five great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Wayne Gentry, of Grand Junction; her sister, Ruth Nielsen and brother, Jimmy Lake.
Mary was born on December 24, 1931, in Fort Worth, TX, to
John and Vera Lake and was the third of seven children. She met and married Wayne in Jal, NM when he was a welder for El Paso Natural Gas and she was a switchboard operator. They proceeded to follow the pipeline living in a trailer throughout the southwestern states, living in approximately 29 towns before they settled temporarily in Odessa, TX. Through a series of transfers and promotions, they moved to Farmington, NM, Pocatello, ID and LaGrande, OR before relocating to Farmington and then following grandchildren to Grand Junction.
Mary was a devoted wife and mother, as well as loving "Nana" to her grandchildren. She had an uncanny ability to comfort a colicky baby, and was ever so patient with active and quarreling toddlers. She was an excellent baker, recreating cakes from the covers of magazines, and making a perfect pie from scratch. She took great delight in being a homemaker and had a wonderful ability to decorate without having formal training. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Dallas Cowboys, and claimed she was a gypsy at heart accompanying her husband in his journeys through Texas surveying and consulting for gas companies (again in a trailer).
Mary was a quiet and humble woman who was deeply involved in her church and developed loyal friendships. Her family and friends will always remember her as a generous, caring person, with a gracious and elegant demeanor.
A private family viewing will take place on January 8, 2015, to
be followed by internment at Orchard Mesa Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The Gideon’s International, P. O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214; or The
Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org; or The Salvation Army.
Burial arrangements are being handled by Legacy Funeral
Home.
The family warmly offers their gratitude to the many care providers who lovingly cared for Mary during her time of need.
